Coordinate harmonica player



C. F. MILES March 29, 1932.

COORDINATE HARMONI CA PLAYER Filed Aug. 18. 1931 Patented Mar. 29, 1932CLARENCE F. MILES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS coonnmarn HarmonicaHAYES.

Application nled August 18, 1931. Serial No. 557,755.

This invention relates to an attachment for harmonicas.

The principal objects thereof are to provide a simple and inexpensivedevice to be applied to a harmonica for simplifying the technique 'oftonguing vthe harmonica; to

provide a means for simplifying the playing of a single melody note ortwo melody notes .a perfect interval apart so that the chords m soundedwhen playing melodies, when "using the device, in the different majordiatonic scales of the different major diatonic'harmonicas willharmonize with the melody which is being played; to provide 4a device1.3 for this purpose which will not only be very simple to construct andto use, but will have the means for preventing the escape of air andmeans by which the harmonica will slide easily with respect to thedevice, so that the 2o position of the device while being held in `themouthv will be stationary and the li s nearly stationary on the device,while t e harmonica itself is being moved lengthwisein the device. AOther objects and advantages `of the invention will appear hereinafter.Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa front view of a preferred embodiment of this. invention applied to aharmonica; y

A Fig. `2 is a side view of the same;

v Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the eline' 3+3 of Fig. 1,showing the harmonica 86, in dotted lines, and S Fig. 4 is a 'sectionalview on the line 1 -4 4\of Fig. 3. vrlhe device itselfA is very simpleand can be applied to a harmonica of the form shown or modified slightlyto enable it to be lapplied to any other form of harmonica. It consists.simply of a member 10 which is symmetrical and is dprovided with twoflanges llon opposite si outside surface -except that a lining of felt l12 can be. employed, if desired, on the inside of each flange and on themember; The playing part 13 is of considerabl thickness to prevent thechance -of the lips- 5 or the tongue of the .player from-coming inbreath to sound notes in the harmonica es of the harmonica shapedtft thecontact with the harmonica itself or being pinched and cut between theattachment and the harmonica. This part is provided with one or more,preferably one, .felt pads 14 with openings l5 linched in them in linewith the holes in t e device. The felt pads 14 are located'on the underside for engaging the harmonica, and-preventing the escape of air. Thesepads are located in grooves on the inner side of the attachment.

There are ve of these openings 15 spaced apart as will be described andfour slight rounded projections 16 are employed on both' sides of eachof the outside openings l5.

As stated in the description, it is of a strictly one-piece constructionexcept for the' felt lining to produce an air-tight construction and asmoothly sliding arrangement and also prevent vibratiom vThis felt isattached to the inside surface of the device by cement or other means.Thev live openings are used when the device is made for use with themajor diatonic so-called single reed ten-hole harmonica and are usedftoproduce melgdy in the two upper rjmelody octaves of the harmonicaa`nd extend into the bass of the har-A monica when Vso desired. Whenmade for other types of harmonicas it will be modified accordingly,using the same principle, as described. These live openings are equallyspaced apart', the same as the ten holes in the harmonica and of coursewill cover exactly When usingthe device and drawing the any series offive ofthe ten holes in the harmonica can be sounded. According to thediatonic scale arrangement of the major diatonic single key harmonica,the end holes will sound 'perfect intervals an octave, orperfectinterval part. The three intervening notes sounded -between the perfectinterval'end notes thatare sounded when drawing only, are used forthetime accompaniment. This is accomplished by `beating the end of thetongue uponfthem to the time of the melody in conjunction with thedrawing of'thebreath, that is, they are utilized for time accompanimentin conjunction with the sounding of the melody noteswhen drawing lanyseriesof ve holes, in the harmonica.

the breath. rlhe whole procedure makes a combination producing one ortwo, at the will of fthe erformer, melody notes; melody, harmony ciiordsand time accompaniment.

When using the device and blowing the breath to sound notes'in theharmonica, any series of Afive of the ten holes in the harmonica can'besounded, but the lips at either corner of the mouth are now contractedat one end of the device via one set of indicat- Y ing nubs so that onlyfour of the five openin in the device can permit the passage of thebreath blown into the harmonica. Thus, according to the diatonic scalearrangement of the major diatonic single key harmonica, the end notes ofthe four holes 1n the device, when blowing only, will be notes inperfect intervals to each other .an octave apart. In this case the twointervening notes are used for time accompaniment as stated'before, thewhole procedure, when blowing and drawing and making melody via thedevice on a diatonic harmonica, making a combination producing onemelody note or two perfect intervals at the will of the performer,melody notes, melody, harmony, chords and time accompaniment. v v

It can be seen readily that when blowing the breath to soundtwo perfectinterval notes an octave apart, the device must be instantly transformedfrom 'a five hole-device into a four hole device to be able to sound,via the major diatonic scale arrangement of the harmonica, two perfectinterval notes an octave apart, when blowing only, and when drawin viceversa.. The contracting movement o the lips at one corner of the mouthserve this purpose. By the simplicity of this design or arrangement ofthis invention, it will be readily seen that mechanical valves, springsserving as valves, air by-paths, slidinv slots, etc. are automaticallyeliminated.

n both procedures of blowing or drawing for melody, if desired, only onehigh or low melody note may be sounded at a time while blowing ordrawing the breath through only one end hole of the device and theremaining notes higher or lower sounded may be used lfor timeaccompaniment or only one note at a time sounded to produce the melody,via the tongue, breath, time o melody, etc. When blowmg Aor drawing thebreath via the device and sounding only one of the notes of theharmonica at a'time arpeggios may be played.

This attachment or device can'be made of metal, aluminum, Celluloid,hard rubber, bakelite or 'other suitable material. It is formed tosomewhat resemble the outside ofa harmonica and its top is practicallythe same as the top of a harmonica, except that it is somewhat longer,for proper bearing surface forthe harmonica when playing in the bass orhigh octave. It has, as stated, less blow holes. The top fis .made ofthick conaeareee ofthe anges. There will always be a lining on the ilatsurfaceof the device where the blow and draw holes of the device make upwith the blow and draw holes of the harmonica.

lt is provided on each side near the bottom with end holes 17 and witharrows 18 ointing beyond them. These holes provi e for .visualindication, when desired, to check the position of the reed holes of theharmonica with the position of the holes inthe attach-k ment. Throughthese holes 17, numbers or indicia placed on the harmonica by themanufacture will show through to thus check the position of thelharmonica within the device, whenever this is desired, the arrows pointbeyond the edge of the device and are a further indication of theposition of the harmonica within the device.

The four small raised rounded projections 16 on each side of the two endholes on top of the attachment are for the purpose of indi eatingthrough the lips of the operator at the corners of the mouth the exactnumber of blow and draw holes in the device that it is desired to opento the harmonica at any time while playing. ln other words, they willindicate to the performer the position of the mouth on the device andthe number .of openings in the device exposed to the breath.

By having the mouth of the player rest upon the device instead of theharmonica the rasping edect of the harmonica upon the lips of the playeris eliminated, also the use. of saliva upon the harmonica for thepurpose of a lubricant is likewise eliminated.

When this attachment is used with this system of employing the breath,tongue and lips, it presents an extremely simplified method of single ordouble note melody tonguing with time accompaniment. The whole producesmelody, harmony, chords and time accompaniment altogether or singly, asdesired. With its use it provides ease in playing a` single melody noteor two perfect interval melody notes an octave apart and the notesbetween as stated. It also permits the sounding of imperfect intervalscloser, than a perfeet interval. When -hlowing or drawing in conjunctionwith the openings in the device,

Although have illustrated and described only one form of my invention, Iam aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by anyperson skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, lt do not wish to belimited to all the' details of construction herein shown and described,but what l do claim is y 1. As an article of manufacture, an attachmentfor a harmonica consisting of a single piece adapted y to be placed overthe harmonica and having a plurality of holes, the end ones being spacedan octave apart with respect to the harmonica.

2. As an article of manufacture, an attachment for a harmonicaconsisting of a single piece of material having two opposite flangesprovided with or without a lining engaging and fitting the sides of aharmonica and a central part materially thicker and provided with anumber of openings all the way through, spaced at the same distanceapart as the blow openings of the harmonica, the two end ones beingan-octave apart when drawing and one hole less when blowing to completethe octave, and with a lining of soft, material for the spaces betweenand around the ends of the opening on the flush part of the bottom ofthe top of the device to facilitate the easy sliding of the harmonica inthe device and prevent the escape of air when it is in properregistration.

3. As an article of manufacture, a monica attachment provided with twoopposite flanges adapted to lit the sides of a harmonica and a centralpart of thicker material having live openings therethrough spaced thesame as the blow openings of the harlmonica and having on both sides ofeach end opening on the outside of the top of the device a slightprojection that will enable and assist the operator in recognizing withhis lips theposition of his mouth upon the five openmis, the part o theattachment beyond the end openings being imperforate and extendingsubstantially. throughout vthe length ment for a harmonica consisting ofa single piece of material having two opposite anges providedwith alining engaging and fitting the sides of, a harmonica and a central partmaterially thicker and provided with a number ot openings all the waythrough, spaced at the same distance apart as the blow openings of theharmonica, the two end ones being an octave apart when drawing and our vharl of the device which is longer than the harmonica.

4. As an' article of manufacture, a harmonica attachment provided withtwo opposite flanges adapted to fit the sides of a harmonica and acentral part having openings therethrough spaced the same as the blowopenings of the harmonica, the part of the attachment beyond the endopenings being imperforate and extending substantially throughout thelength of the device, and provided with openings in said linges throughwhich indicia on the harmonica itself can be 4 observed and arrows linewith the open- 'igs and projecting beyond the flanges to enable theposition of the harmonica, 1n the d cvice, to befurther registeredvisually.

5. As an article of manufacture, an attachthe bottom and both ends open,the sides

